Islam Makhachev calls out Michael Chandler: “You come from Bellator, I want to check your skills”

UFC lightweight contender Islam Makhachev called out Michael Chandler, saying that “you come from Bellator, I want to check your skills.”

Makhachev defeated Thiago Moises in the main event of UFC Vegas 31 via fourth-round submission, and it was the type of statement win that should earn the No. 9 ranked lightweight in the UFC a step up in competition. Following his win over Moises, Makhachev took the mic and called out Rafael dos Anjos, the former UFC lightweight champion. But in his post-event interview with reporter Heidi Androl, Makhachev used it as an opportunity to call out Chandler, the former Bellator lightweight champion turned UFC fighter and analyst.

https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1416630150045786112

“Everybody. I see here Michael Chandler, why not? Let’s go Chandler. You come to UFC now, you come from Bellator, I want to give you hard time. Let’s do this. Chandler, if you hear me, let’s go. Let’s do this. You come from Bellator, I want to check your skills,” Makhachev said.

Chandler was in the UFC analyst studio and was able to immediately respond to the callout from Makhachev, although he didn’t necessarily say yes or no right away to the proposal.

“Slick little call out right there. But he did what he said he was going to do tonight and he did what he needed to do tonight, which was to go out there and put a big stamp on his performance. And now he’s doing what he needs to do, as well. He’s sitting at No. 9, he wants to say as many names as he possibly can. Slick little callout, man. The man impressed tonight. he did a phenomenal job against a very tough man. The kid’s got a very bright future and we’ll see what happens,” Chandler said of Makhachev.

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